To Love a Beast
by Irina Samuels
Summary: A new league member joins, but she comes with a catch--her werewolf best friend, Ariyana Redbird. And, the monster that is Ariyana inevitably falls in love with the beast that is Edward Hyde. DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. If you recognize, not mine.
1. Chapter 1

To Love a Beast

Irina Samuels

_Tom places the Winchester rifle down on Allan Quartermain's grave. _

_"Thanks," he says. He turns away from the wooden cross and follows the rest of the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen back to the Nautilus, the futuristic submarine belonging to Captain Nemo._

The League members sat indazed, grieving silence.

"So," Skinner says. He felt he needed to break the silence, but he really had nothing to say.

"So indeed," said Captain Nemo. The wise captain turned to his new first mate, Kalikan. Ever since Ishmael died, Kalikan had been first mate. "All ahead, full, Kalikan," said Nemo softly.

"Aye, Captain," Kalikan said, and he left the room.

"What's the next port of call?" Asked vampire and chemist, Mina Harker.

"Spain," said Nemo.

"Why Spain?" Inquired Rodney Skinner, invisible gentleman thief.

"Why not?" Replied Nemo.

Skinner shrugged, and the League lapsed back into grieving silence. Tom Sawyer was sitting a bit apart from the rest of the League, and was remembering everything he could about Allan Quartermain, who had become something of a father to him. The rest of the League did not speak to him. They knew he was grieving harder than most, as he had become closer to Quartermain than anyone else.

Finally, it got to the point where Henry Jekyll, the doctor with a split personality, couldn't take the silence anymore. Even his internal demon Edward Hyde was quiet. Jekyll rose and left the room, his moves sluggish and sad.

_Why so down, Henry? As far as I'm concerned, we're better off without the old bugger,_ the malicious voice of Hyde echoed in Henry's head as soon as he left the room.

_Edward, please. Just this once, keep your trap shut. I'm not going to deal with your shit right now,_ Henry thought furiously.

_A bit testy, are we, Henry?_ Inquired Hyde vehemently. Henry sighed and didn't reply. He returned to his cabin and locked the door. Hyde persistently spoke to Henry, but Henry ignored every word. He didn't know what was going to happen next. Allan Quartermain—the leader, the man who had kept the League from falling apart—was dead.

_God, what will happen next?_ Henry thought desperately.

_That's an easy one, Henrieeeee,_ said Hyde, drawing out the 'y' in Henry's name.

_Shut up, Hyde. Just shut up,_ Henry thought in disgust.

Rodney Skinner left soon after Jekyll, as did Mina Harker and Captain Nemo. Soon, only Tom was left, sitting alone in the dining room. He was wondering many of the same things that Henry was.

_What will happen next? With Allan dead…what's the point, anyway?_ Tom's heart pounded a bit faster when he said the old hunter's name, even when it was inside his head. He was glad the rest of the League had left the room.

During his training in the Secret Service, his instructors had told him one thing—to never show weakness.

He was so glad the League wasn't there to see him cry.

**Yeah, I know it's short, but I have to get to the exciting part in the next chapter. This was sort of just a recap of what happened in the end of the last adventure. So, R+R but please no flames.**

**~Irina**


	2. Chapter 2

After a day or so of travel, the League arrived in Madrid, Spain. (A/N: IDK if Madrid is a coastal city, but w/e. sorry if u r particular about that stuff, but hey, it's my story, so suck it up.) They were all still grieving for Allan, but Skinner was the one to put on a brave face and go into the city, forcing Tom and Henry to come with him. Madrid was beautiful; the city was all blue water and whitewashed buildings. Skinner's eyes quickly found some lovely Spanish Belles, who giggled and waved as the three men walked by.

"C'mon, Tom! Those lovely ladies don' cheer ya up even a lil' bit?" Skinner said in a provocative tone. Tom glared at him. Henry sighed and stepped on Skinner's foot.

"YEOWCH! What was that for, Jekyll?" Skinner demanded.

"Really, Skinner, is it so difficult to show a little tact?" Henry hissed furiously.

"The lad's grieving. We all are, so just leave him be." Skinner shrugged and lapsed into silence.

After the rather depressing trip into the city, Skinner, Tom, and Henry returned to the _Nautilus._ There, they stayed until nightfall. They had every intention of staying there for the night…but something rather unexpected happened. The League had gathered in the library, when they heard an earsplitting crash. Everyone in the room leapt to their feet.

"Wha' the bloody 'ell was that?" Skinner cried in his Cockney accent.

"Only one way to find out," growled Tom, speaking for the first time in two days. After sitting around doing nothing, poor Tom was thirsting for action. Anything to get his mind of Allan.

Tom led the way out of the _Nautilus_, since the crashing had come from outside. Skinner, Henry, and Mina followed in his wake.

The foursome was making their way up the street when a bloodcurdling sound echoed through the empty streets. It was a howl. A death-bringing, terrifying howl.

"Let's go!" Tom cried, and they set of at a run towards the sound.

After much running and a bit of tripping, they arrived at the alley where the howl had come from. There, eyes blank and sightless, was a man. A furry, grotesque figure was bent over the man's torso, snapping up his intestines and swallowing them like spaghetti noodles.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Skinner muttered.

The creature looked up at the sound of his voice, glaring in the direction of the sound. The creature had a distinctly wolfy face, and its two-inch fangs dripped blood. Its eyes glowed with malice as it began to run at Tom.

"ARIYANA, NO!" Screeched a woman's voice from above. Suddenly, a small black figure hurtled out of the sky, slamming into the creature's side. The creature growled at the figure and threw it off. The body slammed against the wall.

"Ariyana, please," said the figure. Mina stared hard at the speaker. She saw that the speaker had a womanly figure to match her voice, and that she had on a wide-brimmed black hat that cast her face into shadow. She had on black leggings and a long black leather trench coat, and a black scarf covering the bottom of her face. She had two short, shining blades strapped to her back, and a Colt pistol strapped to her waist. The figure began to tentatively make her way towards the snarling creature.

"Ariyana, my friend, this isn't you," the woman murmured. The creature looked about wildly and whimpered. "That's it," the woman said in a coaxing way. "Come here, my dear one. This isn't you. Focus all your energy into changing back. Thaaaat's it," crooned the woman. With a last wailing howl, the creature convulsed and fell to its knees. The League watched in shock at the transformation that occurred.

The creature shrank considerably, until its six-foot body was barely five feet tall. The muscles vanished, the long, shaggy brown fur retracted back into its body, the fangs shrank into human-sized teeth, and where the wolf-creature had stood, a shivering, naked girl remained. She took a look at the man's disemboweled corpse on the ground, gasped, and burst into tears. The other woman took three long strides forward and gathered the smaller woman in a tight hug.

"I-I k-killed th-that m-man," stuttered the girl, shivering. "I-I'm sorry…I-I didn't know wh-what I was doing, I…"

"Shh," whispered the woman in black. "I know, Ari, I know…Here, put this on…" the woman shed her trench coat and wrapped the other in it. Then, she started to stride toward the League members, who stood in the street, stunned. She stopped several paces away and put her hands on her hips.

"Well?" She said in a commanding voice. "Are you just going to stand there, mouths agape, or are you going to tell me what the _hell _you're doing here?"

Mina's astonishment was abruptly replaced by annoyance. Who did this woman think she was, acting like _they_ were the weird ones for not taking the other woman's conduct in the stride?

"Who are _you_?" Replied Mina in a biting voice.

The woman sighed and pulled the scarf away from her mouth and the hat off her head. The light of the moon cast the woman's pale skin into an even lighter relief, so she looked like a ghost with green eyes that glowed slightly in the darkness. Her pink lips were pursed into a tight line. "Alex Warren, mermaid, demon-hunting, ass-kicking independent bitch," the woman replied in an icy tone. "Who are you?"

"Mina Harker, chemist and vampire," said Mina calmly.

"Rodney Skinner, invisible gentleman thief," said Skinner, stepping forward.

"Dr. Henry Jekyll, at your service," said Henry, bowing slightly, but not enough to lower his guard.

"Tom Sawyer, of the American Secret Service," said Tom, not taking his hand of the pistol shoved in his belt.

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance. Sort of," she added, more to herself than to the League. She turned and walked back to the other woman, as if to leave.

"Now, hey, wait a minute," Skinner said, taking another step forward. The woman whirled around, her right hand flying to one of the knives on her back.

"What?" She demanded.

"I haven' seen you figh' bu' I be' you'd be an awful great asse' to our League of Extraordinary Gentlemen," said Skinner in a persuasive tone that the others had never heard him use before.

"Oh? And why is that, Mr.…erm…Skinner, right?" Alex asked, her hand slowly sliding away from her knife.

"We're one shy of a full deck," Mina said, stepping forward as well. "We could use a real…ass-kicker like you," she said.

The corner of Alex's mouth twitched. The show of humor instantly faded, and her face took on a thoughtful air. "And suppose I said yes," Alex murmured. "What would happen then?"

Henry had been paying attention to the conversation, but his sight wandered to the woman behind Alex. As soon as his eyes settled on her, he heard Hyde's mental breath catch. Then, he burst into a show of questions that made Henry's head hurt.

_Who is she, Henry? Where does she come from? Is she joining the League? What—_

_EDWARD! Will you shut up a minute, please? All the questions are making my head hurt,_ Henry thought in irritation, and he gazed harder at the shivering, crying woman.

For the life of him, Henry couldn't see what it was about the woman that had piqued Hyde's curiosity. He supposed she was pretty—beautiful, in fact—with long brunette hair and eyes as blue as the sea in summertime. But he still couldn't see what it was about her that had Hyde lusting for her with a passion.

Meanwhile, Skinner and Mina had been explaining to Alex what, exactly; being part of the League would pertain.

"All right," Alex said finally after the lengthy explanation was concluded. "If I join you, however, then Ariyana's part of the deal," she added, her eyes like pieces of green steel.

Mina nodded and opened her mouth to speak, when Tom suddenly broke in, saying, "can your friend control herself?"

Alex slowly turned her icy glare on Tom, causing him to take a step back, his had flying to his pistol again.

"She has enough self-control that she will not kill you, if that's what you mean," she whispered in a deadly voice.

"Well, tha's good enough for me," said Skinner, clapping his hands together. Alex went over to Ariyana and put her arm around the other woman's shoulder.

"Come on, my friend, these people will not hurt you," Alex murmured in a gentle voice.

Edward was still hammering the inside of Henry's head with questions, so he took a step forward with a small smile on his face.

"Forgive me," he said, addressing Ariyana, "but there is another man with us here tonight, and he has a great curiosity about you."

Ariyana glanced about her in alarm. "I don't hear anyone, or see anyone," she said, "so who are you talking about?"

"Well, you wouldn't see him because at the moment he is here," Henry said, tapping his temple. "Edward Hyde, when I haven't drunk an elixir that releases him, resides inside my head."

Ariyana and Alex stared at Henry, obviously surprised. Alex gave a surprised bark of a laugh. "Well, I have to admit I am impressed," she said, giving him the first real smile that any of the League had ever seen. Skinner, who was a bit of a flirt, found the smile particularly beautiful…

Ariyana's shaking hand came out from under the trench coat, and her fingers gently traced across Henry's forehead.

"I know how you feel," she said, directly addressing Hyde, looking almost past Henry, as if he could see into Henry's head. "I know what it's like to feel trapped…though, not in such a literal sense," she added, with a small, solemn smile.

Henry laughed at Hyde's reaction to Ariyana's words. He was, for the first time in his life, completely speechless.

_What are you thinking, Edward?_ Henry thought, barely suppressing his mirth.

_She is…so beautiful, Henry,_ Edward thought, _so very, very, extremely beautiful._

"Um…yeah. So, shouldn't we go back to the ship now?" Tom said, drawing Henry out of his internal reverie.

"Oh…yes, of course," Mina said, and she, Tom, and Skinner began to lead the way back to the ship. Slowly, Skinner began to lag behind, until he was directly behind Alex, Ariyana, and Henry, watching Alex's hips swing gently as she watched, back and forth, back and forth…

Alex sighed. "Please keep your thoughts to yourself, Mr. Skinner," she said, without turning around.

Skinner stopped in his tracks, completely taken aback. "Wha' are you on abou'?" He demanded.

Alex glanced at him over her shoulder. "Mr. Skinner, I asked you to keep your thoughts to yourself because I doubt that anyone here wishes to hear what you think about my ass,"

Tom, Mina, and Henry all burst out laughing. Even the timid Ariyana gave a small giggle, and Alex smiled demurely at Skinner over her shoulder, before striding a bit faster, leaving a disgruntled Skinner in her wake.


	3. Chapter 3

The small group of people made their way back to the _Nautilus,_ and Alex was listening to the thoughts buzzing around in Ariyana's head. She was still full of remorse for what she had done to the man back in the alley, but she was also feeling a curiosity about their new acquaintances. She was feeling mirth about how Alex had used her mermish telepathy to make Skinner look foolish; and, she was thinking hard about Hyde, the man who lived in Henry Jekyll's head. She was wondering about him, wanting to ask him questions; the thoughts in her head worried Alex deeply. If the thoughts of the other League members were anything to go by, she was certain that Edward Hyde did not have the right personality for handling Ariyana's curiosity. She was thinking so hard on this that when Ariyana's thoughts turned to one blank feeling of blatant surprise, she stopped in her tracks. And then, she noticed the looming, silver and white ship, towering up above their heads.

"Whoa," Alex murmured, staring in open-mouthed amazement.

"Pretty impressive, huh?" Tom said, coming up next to Alex.

"Yeah, it's impressive!" She exclaimed, looking at him, wide-eyed. "I've never seen a ship this vast, and I spent sixteen years of my life in the ocean!"

"I'm glad you find it impressive," said a voice with a Hindu accent.

Alex and Ariyana looked up to see an Indian man standing in the doorway of the ship, wearing blue robes and a blue turban.

"My name is Captain Nemo. I welcome you to the _Nautilus_, the Sword of the ocean," he said, holding out his had for a shake. Alex took it, and Ariyana followed suit. Alex didn't waste any time in reading the Captain's thoughts; underneath his kind façade was extreme confusion; apparently, the others weren't supposed to bring anyone back with them. Alex gave him a winning smile.

"I understand your confusion," she said, "and I'll be happy to explain, but we really need to get my friend some fresh clothes, so if someone wouldn't mind showing us the way…?"

"Of course," Mina said, striding forward. She surveyed Ariyana thoughtfully. "I have some clothes that will be too long for you, but they will work until we are able to tailor them," she added. She beckoned to Alex and Ariyana, and the other two women followed her along. After they disappeared down the hall, Nemo turned back to Skinner, Tom, and Henry, his eyebrows raised.

"Would any of you care to explain why you brought two women home with you?" He asked in a skeptical voice.

"Ask…Skinner," Tom said through gritted teeth, his tension showing now that he didn't have to put on a show for the two guests. How _dare_ Skinner think that he could _ever_ replace Allan? And, on top of that, with a pair of headstrong _women_? And, why, why, why, _why_ did he have to choose someone so soon—

"Well, Nemo, it's like this. See, we saw the brown-haired one eatin' a man in her werewolf form, an' then the other one came flyin' off a buildin', and the brown-haired one threw her against a wall, and she didn' seem hurt a'tall. So, I figured, oi, why shouldn't they be a par' of the League?" Skinner spread his arms wide, as if there were no other way to explain it. Henry snorted disbelievingly.

"An' wha' are you snortin' abou', Jekyll?" Skinner asked coolly.

"Oh, nothing," replied Henry sarcastically, "except for the fact that you are quite obviously infatuated with Miss Warren."

"Tha's not true!" Skinner exclaimed, but his uneasy shifting from foot to foot proclaimed otherwise.

"You know he's right, Skinner," said Nemo seriously.

Skinner shrugged. "So what if I think she's a beaut, huh? Maybe I think I need to get myself a fine set o' legs—"

"You may feel free to pursue whatever woman you wish, Skinner, I doubt any of us could care less," said Henry in a calm voice.

"Yes…Henry is right. But still, Skinner, you need to be careful. Miss Warren does not strike me as a woman who is easily trifled with…she seems like the type who guards her heart carefully," Nemo said gravely.

"You got all that from one introduction?" Tom asked incredulously.

Nemo shrugged. "First impressions can work wonders," he replied.

"Well, thank you all for your advice, bu' I'll be on my way, to make sure tha' the lovely ladies were able to find their way," Skinner said indignantly, stalking into the ship.

Henry sighed, and Nemo shook his head.

"He's asking for heartbreak," Tom muttered, but the three men followed him nonetheless.

Mina led Alex and Ariyana down several long, white and silver hallways, until they stopped outside a white wooden door.

"These are my quarters," she said, opening the door and beckoning the two inside. Mina strode over to an open closet door and began rummaging through the clothes inside. She walked back over to Ariyana and handed her a conventional black skirt and white blouse with a red tie.

"As I said before, these will probably be too long for you," she said, "but they will do for the time being."

"Thank you," Ariyana whispered, taking the clothes and staring intently at the ground.

Alex and Mina turned around so that Ariyana could change.

"Thank you for this," Alex whispered.

"Of course," Mina said. The two women were quiet, but Alex could feel that Mina was buzzing with questions.

"I'll answer whatever questions you have, if I can," she said, trying to make slight conversation.

"Why do you do that?" Mina asked, feeling slightly annoyed.

Alex was surprised. "Do what?" She asked.

"Rummage through people's heads like that. It's kind of an invasion of privacy, you know. Most people think they are safe inside their minds," Mina replied.

Alex was taken aback. "Hm. I've never thought of it that way," she said thoughtfully. "But…I suppose it's because…see, Ariyana and I are always running. From demons and other enemies alike. I like to get the jump on people by knowing what they're going to do…almost before they do it," she explained. "But, if you feel that it is an invasion of privacy, I'll keep out of your head," she added. Mina gave Alex a half-smile.

"Thank you," she said. "And I know I'm not the only one who will feel that way, so perhaps you could…"

Alex held up her hand. "I'll mind my own business," she said with a smile. "Scout's honor." Mina laughed.

"Um…finished," Ariyana said quietly. Alex and Mina turned around just as there was a knock on the door.

"You ladies all righ' in there?" Skinner's Cockney accent issued from the other side. Mina sighed.

"Yes, Rodney, the five minute walk from the entrance of the ship to my room wasn't to taxing," she said sarcastically. "I think we'll be all right."

Alex snorted, and Ariyana gave a nervous giggle. Mina smiled at the sound of Skinner's indignant huffing as his footsteps carried him away. She turned to Alex and Ariyana.

"You two must be hungry. Shall we see what we can scrounge up from the kitchen?" Mina asked.

"Sure," Alex said, and Ariyana nodded. On their way to the kitchen, Alex asked, "So…any more questions you want to ask?"

Mina thought for a moment. "Yes. How did you and Ariyana meet?"

Alex smiled at the memory. "Under unusual circumstances, actually. Even for me," she said, and Ariyana laughed and nodded. "See, what happened was I was in Cairo, Egypt, looking for Sandpipers--" she said.

"Sandpipers? Those little beach birds?" Mina asked, confused.

Alex laughed again. "No, no. Sandpipers are a lower-level breed of demon. They are pretty stupid, but a clan of them had gotten out of hand and they were terrorizing locals. I was hunting for them when I heard Ariyana howling from a few alleys down from where I was," Alex explained. "I ran to investigate, and I saw Ariyana chasing a man down the street. I jumped in and managed to pin her against the wall. I've had dealings with werewolves before, so I knew how to incapacitate one. Anyway, I was about to kill her when she started to change. You see," she said, "most werewolves spend all their time in their wolf forms, and their human forms become so unused that they become more wolf-like, until you can barely tell the difference. When Ariyana changed back, I knew she was different. I relented and she told me her story. We've been best friends ever since," Alex finished, grinning at her best friend.

Mina had a question for Ariyana now. "So, how come you're…different…from other werewolves?" She asked tentatively, unsure if this would be taken as an offensive question or not.

Ariyana was quiet.

"You don't have to answer if I'm being rude," Mina said hastily.

"No…I'm planning on answering. I'm just trying to figure out what I'm going to say," Ariyana said. After a few minutes of silence, Ariyana said, "I think it's because I was changed so late in my life," she said. "I wasn't Bitten until I was eighteen, and I wasn't raised by a wolf pack, so…I had my own morals and ideas. I don't like being a monster," she added, almost to herself.

"I know how you feel," Mina said, feeling sympathetic towards the woman. "Being a vampire isn't all it's cracked up to be."

Alex laughed. Mina, Ariyana, and Alex entered the kitchen to find Tom and Henry sitting at the table. With a glare towards Alex, Tom rose and stalked out of the room.

Henry sighed when Tom was out of earshot. "You'll have to forgive him," he said to Alex and Ariyana, "he doesn't like the idea of you two replacing Allan Quartermain in the League. He'll lighten up, though…eventually," he said. Alex shrugged.

"I'm above what other people think," Alex remarked, "we're here, so he'd better get used to it."

Mina spoke to one of the shipmates, who began to hurry around, preparing a meal for Alex and Ariyana. The three women sat down opposite Henry.

"So…I've asked my questions. Do you have any?" Mina asked conversationally.

"Yes," Ariyana said suddenly, "but it's not a question for you, Mrs. Harker, but it's a question for Mr. Hyde."

There was silence all around the table.

"Oh…all right, then," Henry remarked, "but I can't guarantee an answer."

"That's okay," Ariyana said eagerly. She did the weird staring thing again, almost looking through Henry at Edward.

"I'm really curious about…how? How is it that you don't have your own body?" Ariyana asked.

"_Tell her it's because I'm dangerous, Henry,"_ Edward told Henry.

Henry himself was taken aback, both by Edward's eagerness to answer and the…almost resentful tone of his voice.

"He says it's because of how dangerous he is," Henry relayed to Ariyana.

"Can you define dangerous?" Ariyana asked.

"_Tell her it's because I do…bad things."_

"He says it's because he does bad things," Henry said.

"Can you possibly be more specific?" Ariyana asked.

"_Tell her I've killed people, and I've done bad things to nice women like her," _Edward snarled, his easy-to-arouse temper flaring. Henry sighed. He'd known it would come to this.

"He's killed people, and he's raped young women," Henry said.

Ariyana didn't seem perturbed by this information as Edward had intended her to be.

"So? I can think of worse things you could do," Ariyana replied evenly.

"_Ask her what sort of worse things,"_ Edward said, surprised.

"What sort of things?" Henry conveyed.

"Things like changing innocent people into monsters. Making them the sort of creature that hurts people, and making it so they can't control it…and they can't stop," Ariyana finished in a whisper.

"_Is that really worse than doing the bad things on purpose?"_ Edward murmured.

Henry passed on the question and Ariyana replied, "Well…maybe not _worse_, but they might be the same level of badness," she said decisively.

Edward laughed at her use of the word 'badness'. Ariyana laughed when Henry passed on Edward's thoughts.

"I'm glad I amuse you," she said, smiling a real smile for the first time that night.

Edward's mind went completely, blissfully blank. Her smile was so, so, so, so, so beautiful. He began thinking about her in a very offensive way.

_Edward! Stop that. I don't need those thoughts in my head,_ Henry snapped.

Meanwhile, Alex was having her own foreboding thoughts.

_Oh, no_, she thought, _this is bad. This is bad, bad, bad, bad, bad. She's becoming friends with the psychopath! _What_ am I going to do with you, Ari?_


	4. Chapter 4

After the slightly strange conversation Ariyana had with Edward, Mina showed Alex and Ariyana to the room the two of them would share.

"Why are you so curious about Hyde?" Alex demanded as soon as the door was closed.

Ariyana shrugged. "I find his case…intriguing," she said. "I can relate to being a monster, I suppose."

"Yeah, but you're not a monster on _purpose_," Alex replied.

"Well…I don't think he is, either," Ariyana said, flopping down on the bed.

Alex stared at her. "If I didn't know you so well, Ari, I would have serious doubts about your sanity. Did you not _hear_ him say that he was a bad person? A killer? A rapist? An overall undesirable?" She sounded incredulous. Ariyana shrugged again.

"The case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is strange. I think that there is good in everyone, you know that. Mr. Hyde just…needs an outlet for that good to come through," she said.

Alex shook her head. "And you are determined to be that outlet, aren't you?"

"Yes. Glad you caught on so quickly," Ariyana said, grinning.

Alex sighed. "I just hope you know what you're doing, Ariyana Redbird," she said, lying down next to Ariyana.

Ariyana smiled and kissed Alex on the cheek in a sisterly way. "I am always careful, Alexandria Warren," she replied.

"Yeah," Alex said, "that's what I'm worried about."

The two women laughed together.

Rodney was sitting in the library, drinking a glass of Scotch, when Tom walked in. Tom had a look on his face that depicted an inner turmoil.

"'Ey there, Tom," Rodney said, "you look down. 'Ere, 'ave a glass." He poured Tom a glass of Scotch and Tom sat down opposite of him.

"Wha's on your mind?" Rodney asked, sitting back.

"What do you think?" Tom demanded.

"No need to jump down my throat, Tom," Rodney said in a more serious voice. "I miss th' ol' man too."

"Who do those women think the are?" Tom exploded suddenly. Rodney was taken aback.

"Wha' are you on abou', Tom?"

"Alex and Ariyana!" Tom cried. "What where you thinking, trying to replace Allan so soon?"

"I wasn' thinkin' abou' replacin' Allan, Tom," Rodney replied, riled despite his mellow drunk state. "I was thinkin' abou' how we needed a new member. No one can ever replace Allan, you know tha'."

"I don't see why we need them. Moriarty is dead; isn't that the reason the League was created in the first place?" Tom replied, taking a long, melancholy drink of Scotch.

"The worl' isn' rid of evil, Tom. The League will be needed again, you jus' wait an' see," Rodney said, sipping his own drink.

Tom snorted mirthlessly. "Apparently being drunk makes you wise," he said.

"Well, wha' can I say?" Rodney said, shrugging.

Tom laughed, a real laugh for the first time since Allan died. Then, his face turned serious again. "She's not going to sleep with you, you know," he remarked.

Rodney choked on his drink. "Wha' the 'ell are you talkin' about?" He exclaimed.

"Henry is right; you are…oh, what was the word? Oh yeah, _infatuated_ with Alex," Tom said, smiling in a self-satisfied way.

Rodney sipped his drink in what he considered to be a dignified silence.

"You do want to sleep with her?" Tom asked slyly.

Rodney shrugged. "She's good lookin', I'll give 'er tha'," he said. Tom laughed again.

"You like her," he teased, "you _really_ like her."

Rodney shrugged again.

"You're in denial, my friend," Tom said, sitting back and helping himself to more Scotch, "you are in _a lot_ of denial."

The next morning, Alex woke early. She couldn't get back to sleep, so she rose, got dressed, and sat down in an armchair in the corner, watching Ariyana sleep. The young woman looked much more peaceful when she was asleep; it was easy to forget what she was. She pondered the League, all of them, Tom, Henry, Edward, Mina, Nemo, and Skinner. Especially Skinner. He'd been quite obviously curious about her, judging by the flattering but primitively male fantasies he'd been entertaining himself with about her. She sighed. Life on the _Nautilus_ was definitely going to be complicated.

Alex was about to get up and explore when a soft knock came at the door. She stood and opened the door a crack, peeking out. Mina was standing on the other side.

"Good morning," Alex said, surprised. She hadn't expected anyone else to be up this early.

"Good morning," Mina replied in a whisper. "Would you care to see more of the ship? I know it's early, but I figured you would like to explore before everyone else was awake."

Alex laughed in a whisper. "Funny, I was just about to go exploring on my own," she said. She slipped out into the hallway and closed the door quietly behind her.

"And through this door is the library," Mina said, pushing open a heavy white door.

"Oh my God!" Alex exclaimed, looking around the room at the shelves and shelves of books.

"Oh my God," Mina said, staring in mortification at a pair of armchairs in the corner.

Alex took one look at Skinner and Tom passed out in the chairs, two empty bottles of Scotch on the table, and burst out laughing.

"Classy gents, these two are!" She laughed, gripping a nearby table for support.

Mina began to laugh too, and walked over to the two men. She began to gently poke their arms, giggling.

"Tom…Rodney…wake up. You…oh, just wake up, come on now…"

Tom grunted and stirred; Skinner let out a deafening snore and rolled over in the armchair. Alex laughed harder.

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!" She howled, so loudly that Tom rolled over and blearily looked at her, and Rodney began to stir in wakefulness. Tom, finally realizing that it was Alex laughing at him, yelled and fell out of the armchair in his haste to get up. Alex fell over too, and began to snort like some sort of deranged, laughing animal. Rodney watched her in amazement. Her laugh was…beautiful.

"Good morning, gentlemen," Mina said, rolling her eyes.

Alex began to regain control of herself, straightening and standing up. "Yes…good morning indeed," Alex chortled, grinning good-naturedly at Tom and Skinner.

Tom grunted a greeting and rose from his place on the floor, while Skinner got up and bent over in an exuberant, old-fashioned bow.

"Good morning, ladies," he said, straightening up. "I'm glad you find me entertainin', miz Warren," he added with a roguish grin.

Alex rolled her eyes. Skinner's thoughts were muddled and fuzzy, and she could tell he was in for quite the hangover that day. "What will be more entertaining for _you_, I'm sure, is the major headache you will be getting later today," she remarked haughtily, as if she hadn't been rolling around laughing a moment ago.

"What's all the noise in here?" Asked Nemo's voice. He stuck his head around the library door, taking in the scene. His eyes lingered on the empty bottles on the table. He sighed. "I keep forgetting to lock up the Scotch," he muttered, withdrawing again. Alex snorted, and even Tom gave a grudging smile, but it was quickly erased when he remembered he was sharing a positive feeling with Alex. He grunted and strode out of the library.

Alex watched him go, reading his thoughts. "He really resents me," she said to Mina as Rodney cleared away the bottles of Scotch and the empty glasses.

Mina nodded. "Tom was close to Allan, closer than any of us," she said sadly. "He was hurt the most by Allan's death, and he seems to feel that you are…replacing him, somehow."

Alex shook her head. "We have no intention of replacing anyone," she said calmly.

Mina nodded, but Rodney snorted. "Try explainin' tha' to Tom," he muttered.

"You know something, Skinner," Alex said, mildly irritated, "maybe I will." With that, she set off towards the kitchen after Tom, intent on some breakfast.


	5. Chapter 5

Alex walked down the hall, fuming. _Honestly, we _don't _want to replace anyone,_ she thought, _so Sawyer can just lay the hell off_. She walked into the kitchen to see that Ariyana was awake, with a steaming mug of coffee in front of her, chatting, once again, with Edward Hyde. Alex's stomach gave an uncomfortable jolt. _Oh, Ari,_ she thought, but she pasted a smile on her face when Ariyana and Henry looked her way.

"Good morning," she said brightly. She walked over to the icebox and began to fix herself some breakfast.

"So, Edward…may I call you that?" Ariyana asked hastily.

"He says you may," Henry replied.

"Okay. So, Edward…would you ever want to have your own body?" Ariyana asked, taking a drink of coffee.

_Tell her no. I don't think so_, Edward said in Henry's mind.

"Why not?" Ariyana asked once Henry had told her this.

_I'm…not very…just tell her because it wouldn't be…good for me,_ Edward said.

Henry felt surprised. He could hear Edward's thoughts, and he knew it was because Edward thought his appearance would be…unattractive to Ariyana. He told her what she said.

"Oh. Well, that's unfortunate. I kind of wonder what it would be like, if I was trapped in a head like you. I'm not sure if I would like it much. What's it like?" Ariyana asked.

Alex laughed softly. "I have to say, Mr. Hyde, you certainly bring out Ariyana's chatty side. I haven't heard her talk this much in…well…ever, really."

Henry laughed. "Edward is…shrugging, for want of a better term," he said. Alex grinned, and Ariyana asked, "What do you mean, for want of a better term?"

"Well, when he's inside me head, Edward doesn't have a body," Henry explained. "He's just a consciousness. So, as you can imagine, that means no shoulders."

"I see," Ariyana said.

_Watch yourself, Ariyana,_ Alex warned telepathically.

_ Always, Alex._

Alex sighed and sat down next to Ariyana with a bit of toast and a mug of coffee just as Mina, Nemo, Skinner, and Tom walked into the kitchen. Tom grunted and made to turn and leave, but Alex said, "Mr. Sawyer, I'd like to talk to you for a moment."

Grinding his teeth, Tom turned back around. "Yes?"

"We're not trying to replace this Allan Quartermain character, you know," Alex said delicately. "I hope that's not your reason for resentment."

Tom just grunted again, but inside he was thoroughly taken aback. _Maybe these…ladies will actually be decent additions after all,_ he thought, and he decided to stay and take some breakfast with the rest of them.

"So…when you're not saving the world from evil professors…what exactly do you do?" Alex asked.

"We've been exploring the world. 'Seeing it anew as the century turns', as Captain Nemo put it," Mina said.

"Where have you visited so far?" Ariyana asked, tearing her attention away from Hyde for a moment.

"Some places in Africa, America, and Europe…and, of course, Spain," Mina replied.

Alex looked at Mina for a moment. "If you get the chance, you should go to either Asia or South America. Beautiful country in both of those places," she said.

"Well, we'll certainly take that into account," Mina said with a smile.

The conversation went on like this for some time, until everyone went off to do their own things for a while.

"Dr. Jekyll…would you care to come to the library with me? I have so many questions I want to ask," Ariyana said.

Henry bowed. "I would be honored. And so would Hyde, though he'll never admit it," Henry said.

_HENRY!!! _Hyde exploded angrily in Jekyll's head, causing him to wince. Ariyana's brow furrowed. "Be nice," she told Edward, "there's no need to _hurt_ him, for crying out loud."

Edward, for the second time in twenty-four hours, was once again speechless.

_Yes, ma'am,_ he said softly. Henry grinned his thanks at Ariyana, and the two set off for the library together.

Alex sighed, watching Ariyana go. Mina came up behind her. "You worry about her, don't you?"

Alex nodded miserably. "She…sometimes has the tendency to get in over her head," she said.

"Don't worry, Henry is rather good at keeping Hyde in check, you know," Mina said, with an admiring look down the hall that the doctor had exited from.

Alex raised her eyebrows. She was itching to look into Mina's mind and see how she _really_ felt about Dr. Jekyll, but she remembered her promise and relented. "You mentioned last night that you were a chemist, Mina," she said instead. "Would you mind if I looked at some of your work?"

"You study chemistry?" Mina asked, pleasantly surprised.

Alex shrugged. "Not fervently, but I have always found the field fascinating," she said easily.

Mina grinned and took Alex by the arm. "I have a feeling that we're going to be good friends," she said.

Laughing, the two women set off down the hall together.


	6. Chapter 6

Mina was debating the use of magnesium versus mercury with Alex when the explosion rocked the _Nautilus_ with the force of one hundred cannon blasts. Both women were knocked off their feet, and crystal phials from Mina's chemistry kit flew of the table and smashed against the floor.

"What the hell?" Alex cried, leaping to her feet.

Mina looked at the smashed phials angrily. "Those were the _only ones_ I had left," she snarled. "Whoever did that is going to get an earful."

Alex nodded. "From you and me both. I'm going to find Ariyana. Be right back," Alex said, and she was off, running down the hall at the speed of a bullet. Mina swooped out after her, calling the names of the other League members as she ran.

Skinner appeared at the doorway of his room, looking disgruntled. "Wha' the 'ell was tha'?" He asked.

Mina rolled her eyes. "_How am I supposed to know?_ Now, make yourself useful and go find the others! We have to find out if the ship is damaged."

Skinner nodded and moved stridently off down the hall.

"Okay, I'm back," said a voice just behind Mina.

Mina jumped and turned to see Alex standing there, in her clothes from the night before, with her weapons holstered to her body. She had gone to her room, to the library, and back in less than one minute.

"I've just been to see Ariyana. She and Dr. Jekyll are going to meet us at the door," Alex said. Mina just stared blankly. "_Why_ are you looking at me like that?" Alex demanded, walking down the hall, pushing Mina along with her.

"How did you do that? I've never seen anyone, save other vampires, move that fast," Mina said in awe.

Alex grinned. "Fish reflexes," she said.

"Aah," Mina said. They met the rest of the League at the door of the _Nautilus_ and they set off into the blinding Spanish sunshine.

The League sped around the aft part of the ship and down the docks, where they could see great plumes of smoke rising from the _Nautilus_'s starboard side. A gaping hole was in the side of the ship, and sailors were darting back and forth past the gap, carrying supplies and shouting at each other in Hindu, already making repairs.

Captain Nemo's eyes darkened dangerously. "My _ship_!" He snarled. He called out to one of the sailors who was racing past with coils of rope in his arms. "You there! How did this happen?"

The distressed sailor shrugged. "I don't know, Captain, sir! All I know is we were working in the boiler room, and then this great gaping hole was blasted in the side of the ship! It came out of nowhere, sir!" The sailor darted out of sight, yelling at his fellows in Hindu. Henry scanned the docks, a concerned look on his face. "Who could cause this much damage and then simply disappear?" He wondered aloud.

"No one," Alex said, drawing level with him and scanning, not with her eyes, but with her telepathy for any malignant thoughts.

Nemo, meanwhile, was inspecting the damage to his ship more closely. "This will take _days_ to repair," he muttered angrily.

"Alex!" Shouted Ariyana, pointing to a spot of the end of the pier.

Everyone looked where she was pointing, and they saw great bubbles forming on the surface of the ocean, just as a long, cylindrical black thing sank beneath the surface of the waves.

"A periscope?" Mina wondered aloud, darting to the end of the docks, Alex close behind her.

"Only one way to find out," Alex said. She shed her boots, coat, hat, and gun, leaving them on the dock next to Mina. "Be right back," she said, and she dove into the tumultuous water.

Alex closed her eyes as she Phased easily from her human to her Mermish form. She felt her legs fuse together and become coated with iridescent scales, her feet elongate into fins, and the skin on her fingers become translucent and webbed. She opened her eyes, which were glowing green, and saw what had the periscope attached to it.

A submarine, not close in size to the _Nautilus_ but still reasonably large, was far below her and sinking fast. She flipped easily in the water and shot down after it, careful to stay away from the portholes and periscope. She noticed that there were large missile launchers on the port and starboard sides of the ship—several were missing their ammunition. This reinforced Alex's theory that this submarine had been the one to shoot the _Nautilus_—the question was, why? She swam swiftly around the propeller of the submarine, carefully keeping herself out of sight while she tried to peer into the portholes. She inched closer and closer to the command center of the ship. Finally, when she was right below a large window, she slowly slid upward so she could see inside.

What she saw both amazed and terrified her.

Black water demons were manning the stations of the submarine—they weren't as healthy as they would have been had they been free in the water, but they were still the largest demons Alex had ever seen. They were manning immensely complicated commands, covered in flashing lights and multiple buttons—but the demons weren't what startled her.

Sitting in the captain's position was a woman…but the woman wasn't, couldn't be, human. She had pale skin that was almost transparent, and you could see purple veins in her neck, wrists, and cheeks. Her face was gaunt, and framed by a straight curtain of inky black hair; and her eyes, which were too large for her face, had violet irises that made her overall appearance extremely foreboding. Closing her eyes, Alex gently reached out and attempted to probe the woman-thing's mind.

Alex's mental probe hit a solid wall, and she recoiled in pain. As she floated in the water, trying to gather her thoughts, she felt a consciousness shatter her own mental barrier. She clutched at her head in the water as the enemy probe shot through her mind, screwing up her face in pain. A deep, threatening voice laughed in her head, a voice that seemed to cast a thousand echoes. Alex whimpered in pain.

_Hello, Alexandria,_ the deep voice said. Alex opened her eyes a fraction and noticed that she had floated out into plain sight of the woman in the chair, who was now staring straight at her.

_How…how do you know me?_ Alex demanded, while she tried to force the woman's consciousness out of her mind.

The deep voice laughed again. _Isn't it obvious? I am in your head, Alexandria Warren. You are a mermaid, a princess, in fact, who renounced her title as the Atlantian heir and ran to the earth to chase demons. You have recently joined the elite team known as the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and you have a fetish for Italian food. I know everything worth knowing about you, Alex, and then some._

_ Who…who are…?_

_ Who am I? Well, little princess, I am Naira, of course. And you…why, you are friends with the werewolf Ariyana Redbird, are you not? Yes, I have a very specific interest in her…but I shall not take her from you now, little princess, there are too many people. I would like to do this with as few casualties as possible._

_ Why…the _Nautilus…_why do you…Ari…WHY?_

_ That great rust bucket of Nemo's, you mean? Well, that was simply to make sure that you don't go anywhere I can't find you. Not that it would matter, much; there are few places you could go that I could not follow you. As for my desire for Ariyana…well, you'll just have to wait and see, won't you? What's the fun of me giving away the surprise?_

Alex tried again, futilely, to throw off Naira's hold on her mind. Naira laughed at her attempts.

_Do not try to escape me, little princess. You will only end up killing yourself._

Then, Naira's mental voice sighed._ I grow tired of these games, little princess. Go back you your League, your Ari…though I doubt she will be yours much longer._

With another menacing laugh, Naira withdrew her probe, and Alex felt herself drifting slowly to the surface. She broke through the waves in a haze, and heard Ariyana's voice screaming, "Oh my God! Alex!"

Alex heard a splash, and she felt strong, warm arms secure themselves around her waist and drag her to the dock. She saw the faces above her, alive with concern. The faces began to swim, and then everything went black.


	7. Chapter 7

Alex's eyelids fluttered open, and the first thing she saw was Ariyana's terrified face hovering over hers. When Alex managed a dull smile, Ariyana sighed with relief.

"Are you okay? What happened down there?" Ariyana demanded.

"I'm absolutely fine, save for a pounding headache," Alex said. "As for what happened down there…well, I think everyone should hear this."

Ariyana looked at Alex seriously. "You're sure you're well enough for this?"

Alex rolled her eyes. "I'm _fine._"

"Good." Without further ado, Ariyana punched Alex in the arm as hard as she could.

"OUCH! What the hell was _that_ for?" Alex demanded, rubbing her injured shoulder.

Ariyana took a deep breath. "Don't you _ever_," she snarled, "_scare_ me like that again."

Alex laughed. "Oh, but you know I will, dear one. Probably next week."

Ariyana sighed. "I know." She smiled ruefully at her friend, then left to find the remaining League members.

Alex stared at the ceiling, humming quietly to herself, when she heard something that made her jump and scream.

"You sure you're all right, love?"

Alex looked around frantically for the source of the voice, before she realized that her efforts were futile. The voice had a Cockney accent. That voice belonged to Skinner.

_That voice is about to get his ass kicked_, Alex thought. She closed her eyes and located Skinner through his thoughts, which were loud, proud, and extremely vulgar.

"I'm fine, Mr. Skinner. May I ask _why_ you are creeping around in my bedroom?"

"Jus' wanted to make sure you were fine."

"Uh-huh. Mr. Skinner, would you like to know an interesting fact about merpeople?"

"I'd be int'rested in anything you have to say, love," Skinner said flirtatiously. Alex fought of a giggle, surprised at herself. She _never_ giggled.

"Merpeople have the unique ability to manipulate water that is around them. Including," Alex flexed her fingers, and a pool of frigid water formed over Skinner's head, "The moisture in the air."

Alex released her fingers and the water fell, revealing Skinner's outline as he coughed and swore, jumping to his feet. Alex pushed herself up onto her elbows, glaring at Skinner as he fled out the door.

"Let this be a lesson to you, Skinner. If you _ever_ sneak around my room invisible again, you will be very sorry indeed." As Skinner raced out the door, Alex shouted after him, "AND FOR GOD'S SAKE, _PUT SOME CLOTHES ON_!"

Alex had shouted this just as the other League members walked around the corner, led by Ariyana, and they all burst out laughing as the saw (or rather, didn't see) a sopping-wet Skinner running down the hall.

"I must say, life has certainly gotten more entertaining since you ladies came aboard this ship," Henry remarked to Ariyana. Ariyana laughed.

"Yes; Alex does tend to have that effect on people," she said fondly.

They all entered Alex's room, and she didn't need to read their minds to see that the same question was on all of their minds; _what happened in the water?_

She explained her encounter with Naira in as much detail as she could, leaving out the comment that the frightening woman had made about Ariyana. She saw no reason to worry anyone prematurely.

"And then she released me, and…well, you know what happened after that," Alex finished, somewhat anticlimactically.

"She just…let you go?" Henry probed. "Just like that?"

"She said…she had…other plans for us," Alex said, carefully sidestepping the fact that those plans were for Ariyana specifically. "It was her that blasted the hole in the _Nautilus,_ Nemo…but we already knew that. She said it was to keep us from going where she can't find us."

Nemo shook his head regally. "The ship's repairs will not take long. Then, we will be underway, following this wretch and learning her plans."

"No," Alex said, sitting up with a thoughtful look on her face, "no, we can't go tearing off after Naira, not yet. We must learn a bit more about her, first. And," she said with a wry little smile, "I know just the man we can speak to to learn it. Captain, do you think it would be possible for us to go to Ireland when the ship is repaired?"

"Ireland? Certainly. I take it that is where your expert lives?" Nemo inquired.

"Yes, in Dublin," Alex replied.

"Oh no." Ariyana gave Alex a horrified look, which Alex met with an innocent look that fooled no one.

"What?" She asked lightly.

"It isn't…we're not…please, we're _not_ going to visit _Skullduggery,_ are we?" Ariyana asked, wrinkling her nose in disgust. Henry winced as Edward squirmed a bit in his mind; he found the expression on Ariyana's face both endearing and adorable.

_Oh for heaven's sake not _now, _Edward_, Henry snarled mentally.

_Don't pretend you weren't thinking the same thing, Henry!_

_ As a matter of fact, I wasn't. Now shut up. _Henry returned his attention to Alex and Ariyana in time to see Alex give her friend a sly smile.

"Yes, dear one. Skullduggery."

"Ugh! Oh, very well. He was born during Shakespearean times, and he knows everything. I suppose we ought to go to him." Ariyana sighed and stared at the floor, her countenance oozing dejectedness.

Alex laughed. "He's not _that_ bad!"

Ariyana gave her friend a skeptical look. "He's a barmy old recluse who lives in a cave. How is _that _not bad?"

"Don't exaggerate—you know he doesn't live in a cave. You just don't like him because he's a mage!"

"That has nothing to do with it! _He_ doesn't like _me_ because I'm a werewolf!"

"_Must_ we get into this _every_ time we go to visit Skullduggery?"

"Yes, we must!"

Mina cleared her throat, and the two women were pulled out of their argument.

"We're not finished here," Ariyana whispered.

"Yes we are," Alex returned with a grin. She then turned her attention to Mina.

"If you don't mind my asking…who is this…Skullduggery?" Mina asked, arching an eyebrow at the name.

"Yeah…bit of an odd name, that," Skinner said, rejoining the rest of them at last. He had put on his customary black trench coat and sunglasses, and was in the process of smearing greasepaint on his face.

"Dried out, have you?" Alex asked snidely, earning some appreciative snickers from everyone else in the room. "His name is Skullduggery Pleasant…mind you, though, that's not his given name. He took that name to _protect _his given name, because to mages, names have power, and…oh, well, I won't bore you with the complications of magic just now." She smiled at the people gathered around her. "No, I'll let Skullduggery do that when we arrive. Now, would anyone mind coming to the kitchen with me? I'm starving."

Ariyana laughed appreciatively, and she helped Alex up, and they walked out the door, the rest of the League trailing in their wake.

**A/N: For those of you who do not know, Skullduggery Pleasant is not a character of mine. He is a character created by the brilliant Derek Landy, an Irish writer who has written a series of books in which Skullduggery Pleasant is the main character. If you have read them, then my respect for you has just risen ten points. If not—for shame! I COMMAND you to go to your local library immediately and read them! Go! Go now, or I shall never update again! **

**Lol, hope whoever reads this enjoys it so far **

**~I.S.**


	8. Chapter 8

As Captain Nemo had promised, the repairs to the _Nautilus_ did not take long; within a day, the ship was flying at top speed toward Dublin. Alex and Ariyana spent most of the journey holed up in Nemo's extensive library with Henry and Mina, hunting for any information on Naira.

Ariyana sighed and shut the book she'd been reading. She rubbed her eyes fitfully. "I'm going to the deck for some air, Alex," she said.

Alex glanced up from the heavy, leather-bound volume she'd been perusing. "All right, dear one. You know, we could all probably use a break. We'll join you shortly?" She glanced at Henry and Mina, and they nodded in agreement. Ariyana smiled and left the room. Henry inhaled sharply as he felt Hyde's rush of unhappiness at Ariyana's retreat.

_For God's sake, Edward, _control_ yourself,_ Henry chastised. Hyde, for once, made no snarky reply; he simply gazed after Ariyana, thoughts adrift. Henry sighed and closed his book, rising as well.

"You ladies will have to forgive me; I've found nothing of consequence on Naira, and I am…having trouble focusing. I'll see you above before long, I hope." He bowed slightly to Mina and Alex and then took his leave from the library. Alex noticed the way Mina's eyes lingered on Henry as he walked away. Her curiosity got the better of her, and she said, "Mina? Would you mind terribly if I…asked you a question?"

"Not at all," Mina replied, "what is it?"

"It's…rather personal."

Mina thought for a moment. "There's nothing you could ask of me that I would find offensive, Alex," she said warmly.

Alex smiled in return. "Very well, if you're sure…then, I would like to ask…how do you feel about Dr. Jekyll?"

Whatever question Mina had been expecting, that certainly wasn't it. She gave a nearly inaudible gasp and stared hard at the volume on the table in front of her; if she'd been capable, Alex was sure Mina would have been blushing. Alex smiled wryly.

"Aah…in _that_ fashion, then?"

"Perhaps," Mina said imperiously, but the slight smile playing about her mouth gave her away. "The doctor is an engaging person, and a very good man. I've met few people who share his uncommon kindness."

Alex's smile widened. "Yes. Of course it doesn't hurt that he's also quite handsome."

"No, I suppose it doesn't."

The two women laughed together. Alex rarely got to see this girlish side of Mina; it was nice to know that the other woman could, on occasion, release her inhibitions. Suddenly there was a knock at the library door, and one of Nemo's crewmen stuck his head in.

"Mrs. Harker, Miss Warren, the Captain says we will be arriving at Dublin within the hour. He asked me to make you aware."

"Yes, thank you," Mina replied, and the crewman bowed and left. She looked at Alex. "Shall we proceed above deck, then?"

"Certainly," Alex replied, and the two left the library.

Alex wasn't surprised, when she and Mina emerged into the sunlight, to find Ariyana deep in conversation with Dr. Jekyll, and by extension, Mr. Hyde; but that didn't stop the slight twinge of unease from swooping through her stomach.

_You're not doing a very good job with this whole 'caution' idea, Ari_.

_Don't tell me what to do, Alex._

Alex withdrew from Ariyana's mind, and tried not to show how much her friend's words had stung her. However, because of the bond the two women shared—in many ways, closer than the bond between sisters—Ariyana knew. She always seemed to know what Alex was feeling, though she had no telepathic abilities of her own. She turned to look at Alex, smiling, and held out her hand. Alex smiled back and walked over, taking it.

_Sorry, Alex._

_There is nothing to forgive, dearest one._

If any of the others on the deck thought that the behavior of the two was odd, they did not show it. Alex, Ariyana, Mina, and Henry stood four abreast, leaning against the railing, chatting and staring out at the sea. Alex began to fidget where she stood; being this close to the ocean always made her jumpy. She was incessantly bumping into Ariyana, who finally gave an exasperated laugh and said, "Oh for God's sake, Alex, why don't you just _jump in_?"

"Jump in?" Henry asked, confused.

"She only gets this…antsy when she wants to go for a _swim_," Ariyana said emphatically. "So _go_," she added to Alex, giving her a gentle but insistent nudge.

Alex bumped her elbow into Ariyana's ribs in return. "That would be rude, Ari," she muttered.

"I don't think anyone here would mind seeing you flip your fins, love," said a voice from behind the four. Skinner emerged onto the deck. Alex glanced over her shoulder, a calculating look on her face; she was weighing whether or not it was worth dignifying Skinner's comment with a response. In the end, however, Henry beat her to it.

"Skinner! Keep a civil tongue in your head when you're in the presence of ladies," he scolded.

Skinner held up his hands in mock defeat. "Easy does it, Jekyll. I was only saying."

Henry opened up his mouth to retort, but Mina held up a hand to stop him. "No, Henry," she said, "for once, I—and I can't believe I'm saying this—but I agree with Skinner. Forgive me if this is an intrusion, Alex, but…I confess myself to be very curious about…mermaids."

Alex smiled shyly. "Well…what girl doesn't love an audience?" She grinned easily, and shrugged out of her trenchcoat, handing it to Ariyana. She climbed up onto the top rung of the railing and stood there, somehow managing to maintain perfect balance, even though the rail was round, and perhaps only half an inch thick. "See you all in a moment!" She said, and she dove gracefully into the water. Mina, Skinner, and Henry all leaned over the railing, the interest evident on their faces; Ariyana had seen Alex Phase too many times for it to be of great importance to her.

_You're going to show off, aren't you_?

_Like you wouldn't believe, Ari my friend!_

Ariyana snorted, just as Alex shot through the surface of the ocean, flying up through the air much higher than was strictly natural. Alex grinned at the incredulous looks on her new friends' faces, waved, and flipped over in the air, scales flashing in the sunlight. As she fell back down through the air and sliced through the water, Skinner let out a low whistle.

"She really is something," he said, more to himself than anyone else. Ariyana glanced at Skinner, eyebrows, raised. He didn't notice her.

Alex created a fountain of water, and used it to carry herself back up to the same level as the deck of the _Nautilus_. Mina leaned forward. "What else can you do?" She asked eagerly.

"Well…" Alex grinned mischeviously, "obviously you all saw the little…water trick I played on Mr. Skinner."

Skinner grunted and shoved his hands in his pockets, chagrined. Alex laughed, but not unkindly; when Skinner glanced up, he began to laugh with her.

"I suppose it was a right little parlor trick, love," he said.

Alex's mouth dropped open in mock horror. "A _parlor_ trick, you say? Well. Allow me to show you my next one…" She smiled again and sank back below the deck and below the waves.

Ariyana looked incredulously from Skinner to the spot on the water where Alex had disappeared from view. She tried to broadcast her thoughts as loudly as she could

_Alexandria Warren. Were you just…_flirting_ with Mr. Skinner?_

_What? No! I was just…just…well…_

_Mmhm. Flirting._

There was a moment of telepathic silence. Then:

_Shut up, Ari._

_Don't tell me what to do, Alex!_

Alex's head popped back above the surface of the water. She spared a playful glare for Ariyana, then returned her attention to the rest of the spectators. By this time Sawyer, Nemo, and a few of the crewmen had wandered above deck; they were all watching Alex with the same incredulous delight that Skinner, Henry, and Mina were.

"Are you all ready?" Alex called up to them.

"Sure!" Sawyer called back, eager to see what would happen next.

Alex grinned at him, disappeared below the surface for a moment, and when she emerged again, she was gliding gracefully, with two dolphins on either side of her. She made a series of clicks and squeaky noises, and the dolphins banked and swam up to her, making similar noises in return. Alex grinned and stroked their heads.

"You can communicate with fish?" Sawyer called down to her.

Alex glanced up, eyebrows raised. "These two aren't _fish_, Mr. Sawyer. They're _mammals_. But yes, I can communicate with fish as well."

"Sorry!" Tom yelled back, to giddy to realize he was being chastised.

Tom's feelings were infectious; Alex wasn't really annoyed with him. With another click and a squeak, she sent the dolphins on their way, and used the fountain to propel herself back on to the deck of the _Nautilus_. As she soared through the air, she dried out; her tail Phased back into two legs, and she landed lightly on the deck. She grinned at the League. "Ta-da," she said.

Mina stepped forward, applauding politely and smiling. "Extraordinary indeed," she said warmly. Alex bowed her head in thanks. Nemo stepped forward as well.

"An impressive display of power, Miss Warren. Impressive indeed."

"Thank you, Captain," Alex replied.

Nemo smiled, then turned back to the rest of the League. "I would advise you all, at this time, to proceed to the aft of the ship. We will be docking at Dublin shortly."

Everyone nodded and did as they were bid; Ariyana waited for Alex, handing her her coat.

"Flirt," she muttered so only Alex could hear.

Alex elbowed her friend in the ribs, but couldn't help grinning.

And blushing, too.

**A/N: Hello my freaky darlings,**

**I realize that I am a despicable human being for neglecting to update for so long. I deserve to be drawn and quartered, really I do. If it is any consolation, LIFE seems to have gotten in my bloody way, which is why there was such a ridiculously long gap between updates. However, I can offer you this humble promise: I WILL UPDATE MUCH MORE FREQUENTLY. I SOLEMNLY SWEAR IT. I ALSO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I AM UP TO NO GOOD, BUT THAT'S BESIDE THE POINT. :P**

**Anyway. I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I'm asking for it anyway…I hope you like the update, I promise more are coming!**

**~I.S.**


	9. Chapter 9

Once the _Nautilus_ had found a slip at the Dublin port big enough to hold her, the League disembarked, following Alex through the bustle of Dublin to where Mr. Skulduggery Pleasant lived.

"He lives right on the coastline," Alex said over her shoulder, "it's not too long of a walk."

She led them through the main part of the city, following the beach, and then down a lane into an outskirt of the town. There could only be one word to describe this part of Dublin: decrepit. The majority of the buildings were a sad shade of gray, worn and tired from years of abuse from the winds off the sea. There were few people in the street, and the ones who were were staring intently at the ground, as if they were afraid to make eye contact with the large party of outsiders who had just invaded their lives. The rest of the League (save Ariyana, of course) were looking about themselves in mild disbelief. Tom quickened his pace to catch up with Alex.

"Miss Warren…so…your friend Mr. Pleasant lives _here_? In this part of Dublin?"

Alex glanced sideways at Tom. "Yes," she replied. "Don't be so quick to judge, Mr. Sawyer. Appearances can be quite deceiving. Believe it or not, we are probably in the safest, most well cared-for part of the city right now. It's the part of the city that is inhabited solely by mages, as well as some other…'extraordinary' beings."

"Really?" Tom said in a disbelieving tone.

"Wait until you see Skulduggery's house. Perhaps then you'll understand what I'm talking about…aah, here we are."

Alex stopped in front of a tall row house, made of gray bricks that had gone nearly smooth with age. Black shutters, aged and cracking, hung lopsided from the two front windows; one of the windows didn't even have any glass. It was covered by rotting brown boards. Alex walked right up to the front door and, ignoring the knocker that was shaped like a half-moon (or perhaps a lion; it was difficult to tell) rapped a quick, staccato rhythm out on the wood: _shave-and-a-haircut-two-bits_!

There was a moment of silence, and then a panel slid back on the door. A set of eyes, covered by sunglasses black as pitch, stared out through the hole. "Yes? How can I…Alexandria? Alexandria Warren, is that you?"

Alex grinned at the pair of eyes. "Skulduggery," she said. "How good to see you."

"Still galavanting around the world looking to get yourself into all a manner of trouble, are you?"

"Now, Skulduggery," Alex said seriously, "you know perfectly well I don't go _looking_ for trouble. Through a series of events that are in no way my fault, trouble usually comes hunting for _me._"

Skulduggery Pleasant laughed at this, and threw open the door. "Naturally, naturally. How could I forget?"

Alex raised her arms and embraced Skulduggery warmly. She heard a sharp intake of breath behind her. She assumed it was due to Skulduggery's appearance; he did not, after all, have any organs, muscles, skin, or hair of any sort. All he had were bones.

Mr. Pleasant was a living skeleton.

Alex kissed Skulduggery lightly on the cheek—or rather, on the cheekbone—while he peered over her shoulder at the rest of the League. "I didn't realize you'd started making friends in the course of your travels, Alexandria," he said, surprise in his voice.

"You would know more about me if you bothered to keep in touch, Skulduggery."

"How can I keep in touch when you never stay in one place for more than five seconds?"

Alex laughed. "All right, fair enough. Mr. Pleasant, I would like to introduce you to the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. This is Mrs. Wilhelmina Harker, Mr. Tom Sawyer, Captain Nemo, Mr. Rodney Skinner, Dr. Henry Jekyll…and of course, you know Ariyana already."

The rest of the League nodded or made some other indicative motion when Alex said their names, but Ariyana merely stared at the ground, a tense set to her shoulders. Henry felt a stab of sympathy, magnified ten times by Hyde. Henry sighed and returned his attention to the conversation.

"How do you do, how do you…my God, man," Skulduggery said, leaning towards Skinner, "are you _invisible_?"

Skinner straightened up to his full height, trying to look dignified—however, Skulduggery still towered over him. "And what if I am?" He challenged belligerently. Skulduggery waved a hand, as if to dissipate the sudden tension.

"Do not take it personally, my dear fellow, it was just…well. Alexandria, you weren't lying when you called them extraordinary."

"I thought you'd take the…uniqueness of the situation in your stride, Skul. It seems to me you would've been a fit candidate for the League yourself," Alex replied.

Skulduggery chuckled. "Haven't the time, I'm afraid. Too busy saving the world."

"Hmph. Arrogant git," Skinner muttered, his hands in his pockets.

"Skinner," Tom hissed a warning. Skinner merely glared at Skulduggery. He couldn't stop the twinge of jealousy he felt when he saw the way Alex looked at him. Almost with…admiration.

Alex snorted and rolled her eyes. Skulduggery clapped his hands together. "So! To what do I owe the pleasure of making so many new acquaintances?"

"We have something urgent we need to discuss with you, Skulduggery. We need information, and it may take a while to get it. May we come in?" Alex asked.

"Of course! Come in, come, come," Skulduggery said, standing back and welcoming Alex and the League into his home. When Ariyana passed him, however, his demeanor changed; he became stiff and formal. Ariyana paused in the doorway and glared defiantly at him. He gave a cold almost-bow.

"Miss Redbird."

"Mr. Pleasant."

Alex looked over her shoulder. "Play nice, you two," she commanded.

_Can I go back to the ship?_

_Absolutely not, Ari._

_Bollocks._

Henry came through the door behind Ariyana, and when he looked at Skulduggery, Hyde snarled in his head.

_How _dare _he treat her with such…indifference_, Hyde growled.

_You can't expect the entire world to be as fascinated with Ariyana as you are, Edward_, Henry said internally. Hyde merely grunted in return.

The League barely had time to marvel at the change there was between the exterior and the interior of Skulduggery's house as he ushered them into the sitting room. What had appeared to be a filthy tenement on the outside was, in fact, a beautifully furnished home—not overly grand, but reasonably comfortable. Their footsteps echoed beneath the high ceiling of the entry hall, and a sweeping staircase led off to one side. Tom's curiosity got the better of him; he asked their host, "Why? Why make it look like trash on the outside, and then so much…well, just _so much_ on the inside?"

Skulduggery turned to face Tom, his face impossible to read—not surprising, since there wasn't really a face _to_ read in the first place. "Anonymity, son," Skulduggery replied. "If we make this place look undesirable, then there's less chance of our existence being discovered by…undesirables. Covert. Undercover. And besides," Skulduggery gestured at the various seating arrangements in the parlor, "life is much more exciting when it's carried out in secret. Excuse me, I'll prepare us some tea." He turned and vanished through a door on the right, through which the glimpse of a gleaming, modern kitchen was visible.

Henry turned to look at Alex. "Bit of a…quirky fellow, isn't he?" He said.

Alex smiled and shrugged. "That's Skulduggery for you. Believe me, when you've known him as long as I have, the sense of humor starts to grow on you."

Ariyana snorted. "_That's _a matter of opinion."

Alex turned and gave her friend a stern look, but was prevented from saying anything by Skulduggery's reappearance; he was carrying a gleaming silver tea set on a tray. After he had served everyone, he sat in a winged armchair directly across from Alex. "Now," he said, "what's all this about?"

"We're in need of your expert advice on something, Skul," Alex said, taking one of the teacups from the tray and pouring herself a drink.

"Well, I _am_ an expert on most things, after all," Skulduggery replied. "What branch of my brilliance will you be needing today?"

Ariyana rolled her eyes behind Skulduggery's back.

Alex leaned forward. "The magical sort…and perhaps the ancient kind. We recently had a…less than pleasant run-in with a woman named Naira. Have you ever heard of her?"

Alex went on to explain their encounter with Naira, beginning with her attack on the _Nautilus_ and ending with Naira's assault on Alex's mind.

At the end of the anecdote, Skulduggery went impossibly still. "Excuse me," he said suddenly, and he launched himself from the chair and back through the door that once led to the kitchen; however, now a grand library was visible behind the swinging door.

"I thought that door led to the kitchen?" Skinner said.

Alex glanced at him and shrugged. "It leads wherever Skulduggery wants it to lead," she said, to agitated to explain further. Skulduggery's reaction to Naira's name frightened her. It wasn't long before Skulduggery swept back into the sitting room, an ancient, cracked leather book in his hands. He was feverishly thumbing through it, muttering to himself, before finally settling on a page. He retook his seat and spun the volume in his hands so Alex could see the open page. "Is this," he said, "the woman you saw?"

The other League members crowded around to look at the page in the book. It was an ancient illustration, but Alex knew, unmistakeably Naira. The same purple irises, the same translucent skin—the only difference was that in the illustration, Naira seemed to be commanding legions of soldiers, dressed in traditional ancient Egyptian garb.

"She was a general?" Mina asked, quizzical.

"No," Skulduggery said gravely, "not just a general. She was a queen."

"Queen of what?" Ariyana asked softly, but Alex already knew the answer.

Upon closer inspection, the illustration showed Naira commanding an army of werewolves.

"Lycans," Skulduggery said, sitting back in his chair and placing the book on a low table.

There was silence in the drawing room. Alex glanced at Ariyana, and saw that her friend hand gone ghostly pale, hands and lips trembling. Alex reached out and took her friend's hand, guiding her to sit down on the sofa beside her. Ariyana took a steadying breath, and then looked at Skulduggery directly for the first time that day. "Lycans?" She said.

"Skul, we need to know everything you can tell us about Naira," Alex said urgently.

Skulduggery nodded, and sighed. "Naira was…is…a particularly troubled Adept sorcerer," he said.

"'Adept sorcerer'?" Mina asked.

"Yes," Skulduggery replied. "There are two types of sorcerers in the world—Elementals and Adepts. Elementals, like myself, learn to control the four elements—earth, wind, water, and fire—whereas Adepts learn more aggressive forms of magic. More immediately powerful than Elemental magic, and more easily corrupted as well. Naira was born in ancient Egypt—she is well over two thousand years old, and was a handmaiden to the Egyptian queen Nefertiti. Under Nefertiti's guidance she learned the ways of the mage, and when Nefertiti was murdered by her usurpers, Naira sought revenge." Skulduggery turned slightly, and was staring at Ariyana as he finished the tale. "Maddened by grief, Naira sold her soul to волк…also known as the Father of the Lycans. He was the first to make the transformation from man to beast, and all other Lycans are descended from him. Волк gave Naira the power to control his children, and she used her werewolf army to decimate all who opposed her. Her rule went unchallenged for fifteen hundred years." Skulduggery then turned back to the book on the table, and flipped two more pages to an image of a bloodied man, standing atop a hill of corpses. Alex felt Ariyana recoil slightly, and she held out a hand to steady her friend.

_Peace, dear one._

_This is awful, Alex. An abomination._

_I know._

"This man was called Remus," Skulduggery said, pointing to the crimson warrior," and, while all Lycans are referred to as волк's children, he was an actual, bloodline son. Remus rose up against Naira with his brother, Romulus, and they led the Lycans in a revolt, overthrowing Naira's rule and breaking the curse she held over their people. The Lycans were freed from Naira's iron fist—and the world paid the price. Remus and Romulus let their werewolf brethren run wild, destroying any humans unfortunate enough to cross a Lycan's path. It is why they have been hunted into near extinction."

"So…Naira's a disgraced queen, then," Henry said, "but what's she after?"

Skulduggery was quiet for what seemed like a lifetime. "It seems," he said finally, "that Naira is seeking to reinstate the curse that she sold her soul for—she wants to bind the Lycans to her power and use them to rule the earth again."

The entire League sat statue-still in Skulduggery Pleasant's sitting room, shocked by what they'd just heard. The tension in the air was palpable. Finally, Alex spoke. "But…but that's impossible, Skul, isn't it? She'd have to have волк at her disposal in order to regain power over the werewolves. And werewolves are powerful, but certainly not immortal. Волк is—has to be—long dead, Father of the Lycans or not."

"But there's where you're wrong, I'm afraid, Alexandria," Skulduggery said.

"Come now, Mr. Pleasant," Mina said, "you don't mean that this…волк is still _alive_?"

"Not at all, Mrs. Harker," Skulduggery replied, waving a hand errantly, "I mean to say that it is not волк that is needed for Naira to reinstate the curse. She only needs волк's blood…or the blood of a direct descendant."

"So…Naira is searching for a Lycan who shares волк's blood?" Tom said.

"Not searching, I don't think, Mr. Sawyer," Skulduggery said, turning to look at Ariyana again. "Not anymore."

There was a stony silence as every pair of eyes in the sitting room swiveled to look at Ariyana. She began to feverishly shake her head. "No…no! I can't be a descendant of волк, it's impossible! I was _bitten_, not _born_, there's no way that I can be a descendant of волк!"

"You are not a descendant of волк, Miss Redbird," Skulduggery said calmly, "but there is no doubt in my mind that you share his blood. The attack on Captain Nemo's ship was not happenstance on Naira's part. The werewolf who turned you—whoever he may have been—was a descendant of волк. And when he bit you, волк's blood became a part of you. Naira may have searched for that true descendant and failed, and therefore…you are the last werewolf who has волк's blood running through her veins. Naira needs _you_ to recast the Lycan's Curse."

"_You're lying!"_

Ariyana was suddenly on her feet, a savage glint in her eyes. She bared her teeth at Skulduggery. She began shuddering all over. "_I am not—" _Ariyana's voice rasped out between her teeth, sounding more guttural, more like a growl every second—"_I am not волк's Daughter! I AM NOT!" _

Skulduggery sprang to his feet at the same instant Alex did; Alex slammed her hands down on Ariyana's shoulders, and began speaking soft, calming words to her friend. "Ari, _no_, you have to _stay calm! _Ari…dearest one, please…"

"Stand aside, Alexandria," Skulduggery said. He snapped his fingers, and a gasp ran around the room from the other League members as a ball of fire flared to life in his hand."

Alex saw what Skulduggery had in mind and immediately went on the defensive. She whirled to face him, shielding Ariyana's still-shuddering form with her body. "_Absolutely not,_ Skulduggery! Stand down!"

"It will be safer for us all if you allow me, Alexandria—"

"If you hurt her, Skulduggery, I will not _hesitate_," Alex snarled, "to destroy you."

"Nor will we," Captain Nemo said, speaking for the first time since they'd entered Skulduggery's house. He laid a hand on the hilt of his sword, and stepped around the chair to stand even with Alex, shielding Ariyana further from view.

"I'll not have chaos in my house, Captain," Skulduggery warned.

"And we'll not stand by and watch while you hurt one of our own," Tom growled, his hands hovering over the twin colt pistols at his waist.

"Perhaps it's best if we take our leave," Henry interjected firmly.

"I couldn't agree more," Mina said, rising quickly. Alex nodded fervently, but her eyes, cold, calculating and unforgiving, stayed trained on Skulduggery.

Skulduggery stood stock-still, assessing, the fire still alive in his hand. Alex had, all this while, been murmuring comforting things to Ariyana telepathically, and her friend's breath was beginning to steady and deepen. Her body had stopped quaking, and the unearthly glow in her eyes was beginning to fade.

_I _can't_ be of волк's blood, Alex. I can't._

_We'll talk about it later, Ari. Please, just focus on calming your mind…_

_Alex, I'm scared._

_Don't be. I'll protect you._

Alex reached back and gently took hold of Ariyana's wrist. "Thank you for your help, Mr. Pleasant," she said icily. "We'll be going now."

Skulduggery merely nodded. The front door in the hall behind them banged open of its own accord, and without further ado, Alex whipped around and darted, fast as light, out the door, pulling Ariyana in her wake. The rest of the League raced out after her, leaving Skulduggery and the mage's neighborhood far behind.


End file.
